


Fathers + Silence

by NatalieRyan



Series: Whumptober 2020 [18]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: 2x08 episode tag, Day 18, Emotional Whump, Gen, Mac and Jack have a talk, Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:00:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27090871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatalieRyan/pseuds/NatalieRyan
Summary: I know I sound like a broken record by now, but this is also one of those ideas I had back in the day about a post ep story that I had no idea where to take it. And it was just jotted down as Jack and Mac have a talk after the events of 2x08.Back when I talked with thistle about where I could take the story I wanted to tell about Jack's past when he had to leave Riley and Diane with the whole fiasco with Elwood, I had no idea that this would come out of it. Thank you thistle, for listening me complain about this idea, for giving me the idea and for all around (completely) saving me from going into a spiral about this idea. I was this close to try and come up with something else last minute, because I was so desperate. And as always, your valuable help with beta on my stories.As to all of you, here's a possible reason (what I not have as an official headcanon) why Jack left, and not the whole story behind what Jack told Mac happened with Elwood and why he had to leave. Because Jack would never leave Riley and Diane voluntarily. Not my Jack.Some angst and some talk and a super cute scene at the end that I had fun writing.Happy reading!
Relationships: Jack Dalton & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: Whumptober 2020 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948579
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Fathers + Silence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [N1ghtshade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/N1ghtshade/gifts).



> I know I sound like a broken record by now, but this is also one of those ideas I had back in the day about a post ep story that I had no idea where to take it. And it was just jotted down as Jack and Mac have a talk after the events of 2x08.   
> Back when I talked with thistle about where I could take the story I wanted to tell about Jack's past when he had to leave Riley and Diane with the whole fiasco with Elwood, I had no idea that this would come out of it. Thank you thistle, for listening me complain about this idea, for giving me the idea and for all around (completely) saving me from going into a spiral about this idea. I was this close to try and come up with something else last minute, because I was so desperate. And as always, your valuable help with beta on my stories.   
> As to all of you, here's a possible reason (what I not have as an official headcanon) why Jack left, and not the whole story behind what Jack told Mac happened with Elwood and why he had to leave. Because Jack would never leave Riley and Diane voluntarily. Not my Jack.  
> Some angst and some talk and a super cute scene at the end that I had fun writing.  
> Happy reading!

Jack forgot how much being electrocuted fucking hurt once you had time to cool down. He certainly didn't miss it. If he had any say in it he avoided it. But if what was between the cattle prod and himself was Riley herself, then he'd take it for as long as possible. Same for Mac, too. Jack didn't regret if he got hurt saving his kids from being hurt and marred. He was a natural protector, his momma was telling him that ever since he was a kid. Even though he was the younger one than his sister and his cousin Nick, he was always set on protecting them both, whenever and wherever. That sense of protectiveness and fiercely loving the people he took under his wing followed him as a young adult and later when he met Diane. It didn't matter that Riley wasn't his by blood, she was his girl through and through. He loved her infinitely and never would have let her go had it not been for Elwood. 

Which was decidedly not a thing he wanted to be thinking about. It was getting harder to hide that from her, though and he hoped and prayed that she would not ask him about why he was worried. 

Mac was also wanting to know. He didn't actually voice out loud, but Jack could see it in his eyes, how Mac acted around him, the itch to work things out, to ask. 

Mac wasn't being subtle about it, but actually to ask, it took Mac a while to gather courage. 

The thing was, Jack was ready to tell him. He carried it around him for so long that Jack risked blabbing it out at some point when it could have put him in a compromising position. 

They all boarded the Phoenix jet, and right when Jack was about to get himself situated in one of the plush seats, Mac stopped him and when Jack questioned him, Mac dragged him gently to the couch. 

“Hoss, no, that's-” 

All it took was Mac looking at him sternly for Jack to get his butt down on the couch. 

“You are hurt, and I don't give a damn if the couch is where I wind down after a mission. You need it more.” 

Jack suddenly moved and winced when the fabric of his t-shirt rubbed on his skin where there were burns. It pulled right over the tender skin and Mac noticed. 

Mac huffed a frustrated breath. 

“Sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you.” 

“It's okay. We are all highly strung out.”

“Regardless, I shouldn't have snapped. I was just so worried about you and… you know how I can get.” 

“It isn't worse than the way I can be, hoss.” 

Jack aimed for a chuckle, but it came out more self deprecating than he wanted to. And Jack knew Mac noticed. 

“What is it, Jack? You finally conceded that you hover too much?” Mac tried for a joke, and Jack knew it was for his benefit, but it hit too close to home for Jack. 

“Sort of. I won't apologize about hovering and helicopter parenting. Not for a second. I just… maybe have to tone it down a bit, huh?” 

Jack pretended that he didn't see Mac's eyebrows merge with his bangs and he stopped fumbling with whatever he was fumbling with. 

“What's going on, Jack?” 

Ah well, Jack opened the can of worms himself. He was gonna face this like a man.

He just preferred to talk about it without Riley around. 

Mac sensed his unease and gave a cursory look to the inside of the plane. Riley wasn't around. 

“Think she is in the bathroom.” 

“I should check on her.” 

Jack wasn't even aware that he was trying to get up until he felt Mac's hands stop him. 

“Jack, she is okay. She is in the bathroom. If she needs us, she can say it and ask either of us.” 

“But…” 

“Look, I know you are worried about her, I am too. But considering what you two went through, you've come out of it worse than her. Just, let me take care of you.”

Jack knew that Mac wouldn't settle until he did just that, so Jack settled in on the couch and carefully took his t-shirt off. He avoided looking at the cattle prod burns, he had a front row view when he was tortured. He just wished that hadn't happened. If he had been more alert and didn't insist Riley tell him what was going on with her... Jack still didn't know what was going on with her, but he wasn't going to insist if she didn't want to tell him. He just hated that she thought she should handle things on her own. Not that she wasn't capable of it. 

Jack meant what he said before they were captured. He trusted Riley. She was competent and able to decide for herself. It just felt wrong for her to not tell him about something that was obviously something she had debated over with herself. 

But at the same time Mac was right. If she wanted their help, she would ask for it. 

Jack sighed and let himself be taken care of. It was the least that he could give Mac after the scare with Lamaire and the Pawn.

…

Mac knew that something was going on with Jack. Jack was too compliant while Mac cleaned and wrapped the worst wounds and when his fingers traced the bruises that were more prominent now that some time passed after they got out of the Pawn's compound, Jack didn't even react. Jack who always complained about Mac's cold fingers on his skin whenever Mac was on nurse duty for a quick patch up. Jack who didn't even grunt or hiss throughout all the poking and prodding. Thankfully, Mac didn't feel any shifting of bones or ribs underneath so Jack was mostly going to be stuck with hurting a lot from the bruises and the burns the cattle prod left. 

Mac took another look around the plane and after he was sure Riley was still in the bathroom and Cage was lounging on one of the plane's seats further from where they were seated, Mac decided that this was as good time as any to ask Jack about what bothered Mac for a while now. 

It was obvious that Jack was holding out on something, something in connection to Riley. 

“So, what's up with you, Jack?” 

Mac sat on the couch, little further from where Jack was sitting, to not crowd his partner, but also he wanted to have a better look of Jack that grew a bit distant. And was decidedly looking everywhere, but at Mac. 

And Mac was comfortable to sit and stare for as long as Jack needed to gather himself and his thoughts. 

“Jack?”

“Yes, Mac.”

“There's something going on.” 

“What makes you say that?” 

Jack was still not looking at him, but Mac could see the moment when Jack swallowed hard, and there was an unidentified feeling passing through his eyes before he shook himself out of it. 

“Well, you've been acting strangely for a few days now.” 

“I'm fine, don't worry.” 

“You know, if I said that and I pulled that card with you, you'd be on my case.” 

“Too damn perceptive for your own good.” Jack muttered, but there was no bite in his words. 

“Is it about Riley?” 

Jack didn't react in any way except a little flinch that Mac would have missed it if he wasn't looking directly at Jack. 

“Maybe. Probably. I'm not sure I want to talk about it.” 

“Is it about the case, or in general?”

Jack adjusted his body to lean more into the side of the couch. Jack was uncomfortable, that much Mac could tell. But what Mac couldn't tell was why. Was it the question or his injuries? 

“I've been thinking about Riley not needing me one day. Like, at all. I mean, it's not that she actually needs me now. She is pretty badass on her own.” 

Jack's voice sounded dejected, proud and sad at the same time. Mac had no idea how to continue from there. There was definitely something eating at Jack. 

“Jack, what is it?” 

“She is important to me, Mac. And she won't tell me what's going on with her and I feel like she is slipping through my hands and I won't be able to stop her.” 

“She won't.”

“How are you so sure? It wasn't you who left her as a teenager and possibly led her to-” 

Jack caught himself just in time before he completed the sentence, and even though he didn't do it, Mac knew exactly what Jack was going to say.

Jack's guilt about leaving Riley and Diane was eating him away. Before the situation with finding someone to crack Nikki's files, Jack wasn't so easily reminded of it, in fact he didn't even mention it to Mac up until then. But Mac didn't pry, it was Jack's thing and obviously Jack would have told him if Jack wanted to. 

As the time went by and Riley and Jack made amends, and Diane learned about what they did for a living, Mac could tell that Jack felt better about the thing, but still, there was the feeling of not being enough to be needed that stopped Jack from fully enjoying what he had at the moment. 

Their little family was mismatched and Jack was always the one to take care of them, look after them, and took it seriously when one of them needed help or guidance. But something was up with Riley and Jack was getting hung up on it and Mac still fought to scramble a good reason for it. 

Jack looked around and when there was no sign of Riley he shifted close to Mac.

“I… haven't really told you about the reason why I left her and Diane.” 

Mac was startled from his thoughts at Jack's raw, quiet voice.

“I feel like it's my fault Riley ended up in prison. That she went down that path, rebelled against the system and hacked the NSA and got caught in the process, because of me.” 

“You can't tell for certain, Jack. You've said it before, she was already great with computers even before she did all those things. You couldn't have known.” 

“Yeah, but if I stayed, I could have done something.”

“Look, I know that the whole topic about Riley is sensitive for you. And I know you feel guilty. But even if you stayed, you couldn't have guessed that she wouldn't do it. I mean, look at her. She is pretty independent and stubborn. Once she puts her mind on something, it would take stronger men than you and I to change her mind.

“Better yet, if she wanted to do something, she would just straight up go and do it and we may not even know that happened. She is smart and she can get around. Slip unnoticed and do her thing.” 

“Yeah, well, that's exactly the reason why I did that. Why I left.” 

“I don't follow.” 

“It was because of her and Diane. Like I told you. Elwood was the main reason. But I… I was worried that if I told Diane and Riley about it that they'd pay the price for me playing the protector. The knight in shining armor.” 

“You did the right thing, standing up to Elwood. No matter what you think about it, those two had it rough before you came into the picture, and for a while they had stability. Until he showed up again.” 

“Pretty much. He thought that if he came back after so long and asked for forgiveness that it would be like old times. That Diane would allow him back into what he still considered his house.” 

Jack sighed and then looked up again and when he made sure Riley was still not around, he leaned more forward, undoubtedly going to say something he only wanted Mac to listen to. 

“There's this thing that no one knows. The true reason why I left. And I'm only telling you this because I can tell you are trying to work out the specifics.” 

Mac was sure that he was blushing, looking at his lap before facing Jack. 

“It's possible, yes.”

“I knew it.”

Jack sounded distant, like he was remembering something from a distant past, and Mac guessed that Jack actually was referring to a past that was maybe not so distant, but definitely a lifetime ago in Jack's books. A past he desperately wanted to fix. 

“After I beat up Elwood, and chased him away from Diane and Riley… I uh, I was approached by several of his goons. I didn't know him that well. Or what he was doing in his free time. He was definitely not in the registry of employed people so whatever he was doing was on the side.” 

“You ran a background check on him.” 

“Of course. What do you take me for? Anyway, some of the guys working with him or for him, they approached me one night. I was going back home and I was jumped. They threatened me that if I continue tangling with Elwood or touch him again that I will face consequences.” 

“They threatened to hurt you?” 

Jack nodded and closed his eyes. 

“Sort of. They threatened to hurt me. And Diane and Riley if I didn't find a way to disappear from their lives.” 

Mac was listening to Jack's words, but it felt like he was swimming through cotton. 

“What? Jack, but why would you-?” 

Mac couldn't bring himself to finish the question because Jack looked pained and he didn't want to add more to Jack's guilt. 

“Because I wouldn't have forgiven myself if Ri, or Diane ended up being collateral damage. By beating up Elwood I practically declared war on him. And the bastard had sent his people after me. So imagine if Diane and Riley were in the middle of it all.” 

“Shit, Jack. That's awful. I'm so sorry. I assume that Riley doesn't know.” 

“No!” Jack yelled before he schooled his voice. “No. And it will stay that way.” 

“Why? She needs to know. She needs to know that you didn't do it on purpose. That you had to.” 

“You don't understand, hoss. It's not that simple.” 

Mac opened his mouth to tell Jack just how simple it was, but thought better of it. 

“Elwood had so many sketchy friends. I was afraid of what Riley would do if she knew that her father sent his people after me, Mac. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she went off after him and got herself hurt in the process. It would kill me.” 

“I'm so sorry, Jack. I… that must have been rough.” 

“One of the worst things I've done in my life. I reenlisted shortly after, and then I just… upped and left. Hoped that it wouldn't hurt if I did it silently. Didn't want to cause a scene, leave them with a warning. It just… I thought it'd hurt less. But it was anything but.” 

Mac could see the turmoil in Jack's eyes, hear the anguish in Jack's voice. Jack was still deeply hurt over what he had to do. And although Mac still thought he should have just told Riley already, Mac also knew that Jack's reasons were legitimate. He would hate it as well if Riley got hurt in the process of going after her father. And hate it even more if Jack was hurt trying to do the right thing.

“Just promise me. Don't tell Riley about it, okay?” 

“I promise.” 

Riley emerged from the bathroom then, still limping, but smiling and Jack smiled in turn. She came to sit on the couch next to Jack. 

“Are you okay?” Riley asked Jack.

Mac watched as Jack scanned Riley to see if she hid anything, or if she was hurting more than she let on. 

“I've been better. But I'll live.” 

Mac used that little moment to retrieve a t-shirt for Jack and Jack accepted it gratefully. 

“Thanks, hoss.” 

After that, it was a matter of arranging themselves on the couch. Riley ended up under Jack's left arm and Mac under his right. Jack squeezed them both tight, holding them closer, needing to know they were safe. 

And once they all clocked out, if Cage took a picture of them and sent it to Matty, no one had to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts?


End file.
